Social Media is growing exponentially in use and is a huge part of our daily lives. What you may not be fully aware of is that sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and MySpace can seriously harm your personal injury, workers’ compensation, social security, or medical malpractice case.

In a case where a person has suffered a serious personal injury, you must still establish that your injuries are related to the accident and you can expect that your credibility may be questioned.

Imagine, weeks after being hurt in a car accident, you are in severe pain, but have to attend your sibling’s wedding as a member of the bridal party because it is a once in a lifetime experience.   A photograph of you dancing is posted on Facebook, showing that you appear to be having a great time. You are in excruciating pain and only went out to the dance floor for the ceremonial first dance with the wedding party.  However, the defense attorney finds this photo of you, blows the picture up, and shows it to the jury alleging that you have exaggerated your injuries and you should not receive any compensation for your injuries.

Insurance companies, investigators, and defense attorneys will try to uncover as much information as they can about you. You give them the opportunity to do that with social media.

If you are posting pictures or videos of events online and/or are tagged in pictures or videos online, the insurance company can use these as evidence to show that you are participating in physical activities proving you are not as injured as you claim to be.

At the same time, if a person posts certain comments about activities or other subjects, these statements may also be used to question your truthfulness. Even an innocent picture or comments that you or your friends post may be used to severely reduce the value of your injury case, potentially dismissing it altogether.

If you are the victim of a personal injury, remember that the insurance company may be watching you  trying to damage your integrity and credibility.

If you need legal advice, we recommend that you seek the advice of a licensed attorney.  If you have any questions about this blog and/or need to talk with an attorney, contact us today for a free, no cost consultation to discuss your legal rights. At Strom Law Firm, LLC, our  South Carolina personal injury attorneys provide comprehensive legal services designed to protect your rights and your interests.  Our lawyers are licensed in South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.